Thread guard for pneumatic thread removers



. 6, 1949 J. J. HEMINGWAY THREAD GUARD FOR PNEUMATIC THREAD REMOVERS Filed July 28, 1948 INVENTOR JOSEPH J. HEMINGWAY' Olm- TM ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 6, 1949 THREAD GUARD FoR'PNEUmTIo' THREAD REMovERs Joseph J. Hemingway, Paxton,Mass., assignor to.

Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 28, 1948; Serial No; 41,018

7 Claims. (01. l3 9.256') This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic thread removers for weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a simple form of guard which will prevent the shuttle box from catching the thread of the outgoing shuttle and thereby prevent it from entering the remover.

In weft replenishing looms a thread extends from the salvage to the outgoing bobbin at the time of a replenishing operation, and it has been proposed heretofore to provide pneumatic means for removing this thread so that it cannot be drawn into the warp shed. In certain types of looms on which pneumatic thread removingattachments are employed the shuttle box at the magazine end of the loom is formed with a fixed front wall and the shuttle binder is placed at the back of the box. The wall is frequently covered with some wear resisting material, such as leather, and the thread which extends along thefront wall to the thread remover is likely to be caught under the leather lining and thereby prevented from responding to the subatmospheric pressures within the remover.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a guard which will be located between the front wall of the shuttle box and the thread remover and located in such position as to prevent the thread from passing under the front wall or its anti-friction lining. v

In the type of thread remover to which the invention more particularly relates a pneumatic tube is lowered to aposition behind thethread on weft replenishing beats of the loom andis provided with a lip or the like to direct the thread to the intake mouth as the lay moves .rearward'ly from front center position. The lip thus prevents the thread from moving rearwardly with the lay and causes a forward movement of the thread relatively to the lay. It is during this relative movement that the thread is likely to become entangled Withthe front wall of the shuttle box.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a thread guard preferably mounted on the lay out of the path of the shuttle and extending below the bottom of the box front wall to engage the thread and prevent it from passing under the box wall.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a unit readily attachable to the boxv front constructed in such manner that the threadguard can be adjusted horizontally along thelength of the shuttle box and also vertically as well as in a back and forth direction. By reason of these adjustments the threadguard may be moved to itsmost advantageous position for the particular type of box front with which it is being used.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination-and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a weft replenishing mechanism having the invention applied thereto, the lay and part of the shuttle box being shown in crosssection,

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, parts being removed, the lay being shown at front center,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical section on line 33, Fig,2,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line i l, Fig. 3, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views showing the manner of operation of the invention. 7

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the m frame in has mounted thereon a support I! provided with a pivot I2 on which is rockably mounted a reserve bobbin, magazine M. The latter is shown as one type of weft replenishing mechanism with which the invention may be used, but the invention is not limited to a rocking magazine. The support ll carries a pivot stud l3 on which is mounted a transferrer arm 14 provided with a latterally extending pin or the like I 5.

The lay Zliis provided with a shuttle box 2| having a binder 22 forming the rear wall thereof and having 'a front box wall 23 secured as at 2 1 to the box plate 25." The latter forms the floor of the shuttle box and is secured in any approved manner to the lay 20. A strap 26 made of leather or other wear resisting material is secured to the front wall 23 and extends along the rear surface thereof to engage thefront' wall of the shuttle S. The shuttle may. be'provided with a plate 27 on the frontwall thereof forengagement with a thread cutter '28 controlled by the transferrer arm.

The threadremo'v'er R comprises a tube 30 having a lip 3| extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom below a, thread intake mouth 32. The

,tube is connected to a hose 33 in which subatmoshold the carrier 36 in any position to which it is moved. A strip 39 of plush or other textile pile fabric extends across the lay race plate 40 in alignment with the remover R.

When the shuttle is in the shuttle box 2| as shown in Fig. 2, the filling thread F will extend from the selvage 4| of the cloth C across the plush 39 and along the rear surface of the leather facing 25 to the shuttle eye 42. At the time of a replenishing operation cutter 28 moves rearwardly in known manner to sever the filling F adjacent to the eye 42 while the lay is on front center position, and as the transferrer arm M descends to place a fresh bobbin into the shuttle S the pin engages the carrier 36 to lower the same from the normal raised position thereof shown in Fig. 1 so that the lip 3| will pass behind the weft thread F and be depressed into the plush 39. As the lay recedes from front center after a replenishing operation the thread moves with it and is caught by the lip 3|. Later in the rearward movement of the lay a rod 45 rises to reset the carrier 36 to its normal up position.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and operates in the usual manner, but it is found that as the lay recedes from the position shown in Fig. 5 to some such position as shown in Fig. 6 the part of the filling thread F to the right of the thread remover R is drawn forwardly relatively to the lay and is likely to be caught under the lining of the box front 23. When this happens the pneumatic remover is unable to attract the thread even though the latter has been cut by the cutter 2'8, and breakage results with likelihood that the broken end will be whipped into the warp shed.

In carrying the present invention into effect provision is made for preventing the weft end from moving under the lining 25. It will be understood that the box wall 23 will ordinarily extend down to the top of the box plate 25, but the fit of these two parts is not always perfect, and furthermore the lining 26 may not in all instances extend into engagement with the top of the box plate.

Mounted on the front wall 23 is a small bracket having an arm 5! extending along the length of the wall 23 and provided with a slot 52 to rece've a screw 53 tapped into the wall 23. The

bracket has a forwardly extending arm 55 into which is tapped a screw 55 passing through a slot 5? in a thread guard member 58. The latter comprises a plate 59 which may be shaped as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and has welded to the rear end thereof a wire 6| the rear part of which extends downwardly as at 62 into a recess or well in the box plate 25. The vertical part 62 of the guard is out of the path of the shuttle but is close to the plane of the rear face of the lining 25.

When a weft replenishing operation occurs the lay will be On front center and the filling thread F will be disposed as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 and will extend rearwardly from a position between the shuttle and the box plate 25 to the fell of the cloth and over the plush 39. When the remover R descends its lip 3i will be behind the thread as indicated in Fig. 5 and remain down as the lay starts to move rearwardly. The lip, which is temporarily at rest, catches the thread as the lay recedes and causes it to bend around the thread guard so that it will assume the position shown in Fig. 6. In this position, the thread extends more or less in alignment with the rear surface of lining 26 and has no opportunity to pass thereunder. The remover remains down from the time the lay is on front center until the lay has almost reached back center, and during this time the shuttle is picked to release the right end of the thread F as viewed for instance in Fig. 6. The subatmospheric pressures existing within the remover R at this time then draw the thread along the guard and into the tube 30 where it is held until the thread is cut by the temple cutter 65, whereupon the entire thread is drawn into the remover R and along the wall 23 to a thread holder (not shown).

As will be apparent from Fig. 3 the rear end of the guard 60 as represented by the vertical part 62 of the wire 6| extends to a position below the top surface 65 of the shuttle plate 25 and thereby prevents the thread F from passing under the leather lining 26. The adjustment afforded by screw 56 and slot 5? permit a certain amount of back and forth movement of the guard and also enables the latter to be adjusted angularly to raise and lower the wire 6!. Also, as

will be apparent from Fig. 4, the bracket 51'] which carries the guard 58 can be adjusted in a direction lengthwise of the box wall 23. The recess 63 has been shown as extending forwardly and opening through the front part of the plate 25, but this is not essential and it will be sufilcient if the opening or recess is large enough to permit the required back and forth and also lateral adjustments of the end 62 of the wire 6| From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides simple means by which the filling thread extending from the shuttle box to a pneumatic thread remover may be kept from passing under any part of the front of the shuttle box which might otherwise hold it and prevent it from being drawn into the remover. It will also be seen that the guard 58 and bracket together form a unit mounted on the box front 23 and permittin adjustment of the guard backwardly and forwardly, vertically to a limited extent, and along the length of the shuttle box. The bracket 50 may in fact be a usual part of looms equipped with pneumatic thread control and can have the front edge thereof formed with a notch 68 which serves as a thread placer for the thread of the incoming bobbin. The relationship of the notch 68 to this thread is not set forth herein, since it is well understood, but it will be forward of the guard and not interfere with the operation of the latter. The rear vertical part 62 of wire 6| extends upwardly from a position below box plate surface 66 to a point high enough to prevent the thread from passing under the lining 26 when the remover R is returned to its normal up position by rod 5 as the lay approaches back center. The wire 6| is capable of being bent with respect to the plate so that if desired the downwardly extendin end 62 of the wire can be inclined in a direction upwardly and forwardly to direct the thread away from the bottom of the front wall 23. This bending can be done if it should be found that angular movement of the guard around the screw 56 is insuflicient to effect the desired inclination.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes and modifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay carrying a shuttle box formed with a front wall extending upwardly from the floor plate of the shuttle box, a pneumatic thread remover located between the shuttle box and the cloth and effective to engage the weft of the outgoing bobbin incident to a weft replenishing operation and cause forward movement of said weft relatively to said front wall as the lay moves rearwardly, and a thread guard mounted on said front wall and extending below the top surface of said floor plate in position to engage the weft end and prevent the same from moving under said front wall as the lay moves rearwardly.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay carrying a shuttle box formed with a front wall extending upwardly from the fioor plate of the shuttle box, a pneumatic thread remover located between the shuttle box and the cloth and effective to engage the Weft of the outgoing bobbin incident to a weft replenishing operation and cause forward movement of said weft relatively to said front wall as the lay moves rearwardly, a bracket mounted on and extending forwardly from the front wall, and a thread guard mounted on said bracket and located between said front wall and the thread remover and effective to prevent the weft from moving under said front wall as the lay moves rearwardly.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay carrying a shuttle box formed with a front wall extending upwardly from the floor plate of the H shuttle box, a pneumatic thread remover located between the shuttle box and the cloth and effective to engage the Weft of the outgoing bobbin incident to a weft replenishing operation and cause forward movement of said weft relatively i;

to said front wall as the lay moves rearwardly, a bracket extending forwardly from the front wall, a thread guard mounted on said bracket, and operative connections between the guard and the bracket to adjust the guard relatively cause forward movement of said weft relatively to said front wall as the lay moves rearwardly, a thread guard for said Weft, and means mounting said guard on said front wall for adjustment in the direction of the length of the lay and hold said guard between the front wall and the remover in such position as to prevent the weft from passing under the front wall as the lay moves rearwardly.

5. A thread guard unit for the weft of the outgoing bobbin in a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box provided with a front wall and a floor plate having an upwardly opening recess therein, said guard unit comprising a bracket having provision for attachment to said front wall, and said guard comprising a thread engaging member mounted on the bracket and having a vertically extending thread engaging part to enter the recess when the unit is attached to said front wall.

6. A thread guard unit for the weft of the outgoing bobbin in a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box provided with a front wall and a floor plate having an upwardly opening recess therein, said unit comprising a bracket having provision for being held to the front wall in adjusted position along the length thereof, said unit including also a thread engaging guard mounted on the bracket for adjustment relatively thereto in a direction transverse of the front wall, said guard having a vertical part to engage a weft thread and extend into the recess when the guard unit is mounted on the front wall.

'7. A thread guard unit for the weft of the outgoing bobbin in a weft replenishing loom having a thread remover and a shuttle box provided with a front wall, the guard unit having provision for attachment to said front wall and having a vertical part in substantial alignment with the rear surface of said front wall and located between the latter and said remover when said unit is attached to said front wall.

JOSEPH J. HEMINGWAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,212,681 Rhoades Jan. 16, 1917 2,424,019 Brown July 15, 1947 

